Textile crimpine device



Dec. 29, 1964 J. P. RICHESON 3,162,924

TEXTILE CRIMPING DEVICE Filed April 30, 1963 INVENTOR. JAMES P. RICHESONMM. M

ATTORN United States Patent Ofifice 3,152,924 Patented Dec. 29, 19643,162,924 TEXTILE CRIMKING DEVICE James P. Richeson, Decatur, Ala.,assignor to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Deiaware Filed Apr. 30,1963, Ser. No. 276,821 4 Claims. (1. 28-1) This invention relates totextile crimping devices and more particularly to devices formaintaining alignment of drive shafts in a tow crimper.

In one type of machine for crimping a bundle of chemi cal textilefilaments a pair of rolls are used for forcing the bundle of filaments,or'tow, into a crimping chamber. These rolls are mounted on parallelshafts, one of which is movable so that the rolls can be urged togetherwith great force. Because the rolls are on or near the ends of theshafts, the shafts tend to spring apart when the loading force isapplied. This prevents the rolls from moving completely face-to-face,thereby resulting in a greater pressure being applied to one side of thetow than to the other. Since the rolls must be accessible forinspection, cleaning and replacement of the rolls, it has not beenfeasible to mount hearings on the outer ends of the drive shafts toprevent roll separation. With this in mind, one of the objects of thisinvention is to provide a novel and improved shaft supporting device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a quickdetachable supportfor holding a pair of drive shafts in alignment.

A further object of this invention is to provide a clamp for holding apair of parallel drive shafts to prevent movement of the shafts awayfrom each other.

One embodiment of the present invention contemplates, in a tow crimperhaving crimping rolls mounted on parallel drive shafts, a clamp having afixed arm or jaw and a movable arm or jaw. The fixed jaw engages abearing on one of the shafts, While the movable jaw engages a bearing onthe other shaft. A heavy fluid cylinder is used to urge the movable jawtoward the fixed jaw to prevent movement of the shafts away from eachother.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent whenthe following detailed description is read in conjunction with theappended drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a front view of the deviceshowing the positioning of the device on a pair of shafts, and

FIGURE 2 is a top vew showing the position of the clamp relative to thecrimping rolls.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a pair of drive shafts 11 and 12are shown supporting a pair of crimping rolls 13 and 14. A mechanism(not shown) of a well known type is used to urge the shafts toward eachother to force the rolls 13 and 14 together. Bearings 15 and 16 supportthe rolls 13 and 14 at points behind these rolls. A guide 17 directs atow 18 into the nip of the rolls 13 and 14, these rolls forcing the towinto a crimping chamber 19. This structure is conventional.

To prevent separation of the front ends of the shafts 11 and 12 underload, a supporting device 20 is used. This device includes a bracket 23to which is secured a fixed arm or jaw 24. The fixed jaw 24 is providedwith an aracuate recess 25 for receiving the outer race of a bearing 28mounted on the shaft 12.

At the other end of the bracket 23 there is pivotally attached a movablearm or jaw 29 having an arcuate recess 30 for receiving the outer raceof a bearing 32 mounted on the shaft 11. The arcuate recesses 25 and 30face each other to hold the bearings 28 and 32 therebetween.

A heavy fiuid cylinder 33 secured to the end of the bracket 23 isprovided with a piston rod 36 which engages the movable jaw 29 to urgethis jaw toward the fixed jaw 24. A fluid supply 37 is connected througha pressure regulating valve or device 38 to the cylinder 33. Byadjusting the pressure of the fiuid applied to the cylinder 33 the forceapplied to hold the shafts 11 and 12 against movement away from eachother can be adjusted. This force should be sufiiciently great to holdthe roll faces parallel to each other at the nip when a tow is passingbetween the rolls.

In operation, the fiuid cylinder applies a force to the movable jaw 29to prevent movement of the shafts 11 and 21 away from each other. Whenit is desired to inspect, clean or replace the crimping rolls 13 and 14,the fluid pressure is lowered sufiiciently to allow manual movement ofthe movable arm or jaw'29 away from and clear of the bearing 32. Thecomplete device 20 is then lifted off the shafts and set aside. Aftercleaning, etc., the device 20 is replaced on the shafts 11 and 12 andpressure again applied to the cylinder 33. It can be readily seen thatremoval or replacement of the device can be effected almost in seconds.

It is to be understood that the embodiment disclosed herein is merelyillustrative and that numerous other embodiments can be contemplatedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tow crimping apparatus having a pair of crimping rolls mountedon parallel drive shafts, a shaft supporting device comprising abracket, a first arm secured to one end of the bracket and adapted tosupport one of said shafts, a second arm movably connected to thebracket for supporting the other shaft, said arms being positioned infacing relationship with the shafts therebetween, and means engaging themovable arm for urging said movable arm toward said fixed arm to preventmovement of the shafts away from each other when a bundle of filamentsis passed between the rolls.

2. In a tow crimping apparatus having a pair of crimping rolls mountedon parallel drive shafts, a device for preventing movement of the shaftsaway from each other comprising a pair of bearings mounted on the shaftsin front of the rolls, a bracket extending across the shafts above saidbearings, a first arm secured to one end of the bracket and having anarcuate recessfor receiving the outer race of the bearing on one of saidshafts, a second arm movably mounted on the bracket and having anarcuate recess for receiving the outer race of the other bearing, saidarms being positioned in facing relationship with the shaftstherebetween, and means secured to the bracket for engaging and urgingthe movable arm toward the fixed arm to prevent movement of the shaftsaway from each other when a tow is passed between the rolls.

3. In a tow crimping apparatus having a pair of crimping rolls mountedon parallel drive shafts, a device for preventing movement of the shaftsaway from each other, comprising a pair of bearings mounted on theshafts in front of the rolls, a bracket positioned above and extendingacross the shafts, a first arm secured to the bracket and having anarcuate recess for receiving the outer race of one of the bearings, asecond arm pivotally secured to the bracket and having an arcuate recessfor receiving the outer race of the other bearing, said arms beingpositioned in facing relationship with the bearings therebetween, and afluid cylinder secured to the bracket and having a piston rod engagingthe second arm for urging said second arm toward said first arm toprevent movement of the shafts away from each other when a tow is passedbetween the rolls.

4. In a tow crimping apparatus having a pair of crimping rolls mountedon parallel drive shafts, a device for preventing movement of the shaftsaway from each other, comprising a pair of bearings mounted on theshafts in front of the rolls, a bracket positioned above and ex- 3tending across the shafts, a first arm secured to the bracket and havingan arcuate recess for receiving the outer race of one of the bearings, asecond arm pivotally secured to the bracket and having an arcuate recessfor receiving the outer race of the other bearing, said arms beingpositioned in facing relationship with the bearings therebetween, and afluid cylinder secured to the bracket and having a piston rod engagingthe second armnfor urgin'g said second arm toward said first arm toprevent movement of the shafts away from each other when a tow is passedbetween the rolls, a pressure regulating device, and a source of fluidunder pressure, said fluid source being connected through the regulatingdevice to the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS VRainard Nov. 20, 1951 Winslow Jan. 6, 1953 Flint et all Feb. 3, 1959Ohashi et al July 31, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Aug. 14, 1962 GreatBritain June 24, 1953 Italy D'ec.-1l, 1954

1. IN A TOW CRIMPING APPARATUS HAVING A PAIR OF CRIMPING ROLLS MOUNTEDON PARALLEL DRIVE SHAFTS, A SHAFT SUPPORTING DEVICE COMPRISING ABRACKET, A FIRST ARM SECURED TO ONE END OF THE BRACKET AND ADAPTED TOSUPPORT ONE OF SAID SHAFTS, A SECOND ARM MOVABLY CONNECTED TO THEBRACKET FOR SUPPORTING THE OTHER SHAFT, SAID ARMS BEING POSITIONED INFACING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SHAFTS THEREBETWEEN, AND MEANS ENGAGING THEMOVABLE ARM FOR URGING SAID MOVABLE ARM TOWARD SAID FIXED ARM TO PREVENTMOVEMENT OF THE SHAFTS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER WHEN A BUNDLE OF FILAMENTSIS PASSED BETWEEN THE ROLLS.